Nancy was 16 years old, and 16 weeks pregnant, when she underwent a saline abortion in 1972. A saline abortion is performed by injecting a strong salt solution into the amniotic fluid. When the fetus inhales and swallows the highly salty fluid, this causes massive internal hemorrhage and death. This then triggers labor.
Nancy developed an amniotic fluid embolism that led to coagulopathy (clotting problems), causing her death.
As you can see from the graph below, abortion deaths were falling dramatically before legalization. This steep fall had been in place for decades. To argue that legalization lowered abortion mortality simply isn't supported by the data.
LDI Sources: "Fatal Pulmonary Embolism During Legal Induced Abortion in the United States from 1972-1985," Lawson, Herschel W., MD, Atrash, Hani K., MD, MPH, Franks, Adele L., MD, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol. 162, No. 4, April 1990, p. 986-990; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
"Nancy" is one of the women Life Dynamics identifies on their "Blackmun Wall" as having been killed by a safe and legal abortion.
Nancy was 16 years old, and 16 weeks pregnant, when she underwent a saline abortion in 1972. A saline abortion is performed by injecting a strong salt solution into the amniotic fluid. When the fetus inhales and swallows the highly salty fluid, this causes massive internal hemorrhage and death. This then triggers labor.
Nancy developed an amniotic fluid embolism that led to coagulopathy (clotting problems), causing her death.
As you can see from the graph below, abortion deaths were falling dramatically before legalization. This steep fall had been in place for decades. To argue that legalization lowered abortion mortality simply isn't supported by the data.
LDI Sources: "Fatal Pulmonary Embolism During Legal Induced Abortion in the United States from 1972-1985," Lawson, Herschel W., MD, Atrash, Hani K., MD, MPH, Franks, Adele L., MD, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol. 162, No. 4, April 1990, p. 986-990; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention